10-Day Vietnam Tour with Halong Bay Cruise and Hue to Saigon

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Day 01

Arrival in Hanoi and Welcome Dinner

• Welcome to Hanoi! Our representative will be at the airport to make sure you're headed in the right direction. Check in at your hotel and get your bearings before meeting your tour leader at 6 pm. Get the inside scoop on the tour during the meeting, then get to know your travel companions over a welcome dinner.

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Day 02

Cruise Through Halong Bay

• Don't trip over yourself at breakfast this morning in anticipation of the drive to the Halong Bay complex, one of Vietnam's most enduring natural attractions. Step on board your cruiser once the drive is done and get an eyeful of the thousands of towering limestone pillars that rise imperiously from an emerald sea.
• Depending on the weather, take a plunge in the gentle waters or kayak through some of the hollowed-out karst mountains. Hunker down for some delicious food on board and let the day take its gentle course as you visit beaches, caves and perhaps enjoy a secret treat from the floating market.

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Day 03

Morning on the Bay and Return to Hanoi

• Wake up to the gentle rhythms of the sea this morning and open your eyes to the giant-like karst mountains that still keep sentinel over the sampans and junks as they go about making their first catch of the day.
• Soak up these idyllic surroundings until the clock urges you to head back to Hanoi and check in to your hotel. Browse through the streets of Hanoi at your own pace or sample some street food as the day winds down.

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Day 04

Fly to Hue and Explore the Imperial Citadel

• Attend to your stomach over a local breakfast and make your way to the airport. Dust yourself off as you arrive in Hue and head to the hotel to drop off your bags.
• Strap your shoes on and hit the pavement as you head to the Imperial Citadel, where further exploration takes you to the threshold of the Forbidden Purple City, so called because no one apart from the royals was allowed to enter its precincts.
• Walk through some of the ruins here that were razed to the ground during the American War and have since been renovated, while deconstructing the lives of the emperors and their entourage who lived here during the 1800s.
• Visit Dong Ba Market if you're up to it after the tour and sample some locally made goods, fresh produce and some good old lip-smacking street food.

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Day 05

Cycle to Thanh Toan Bridge and Visit Tu Duc Tomb

• Ride out on cycles to the 18th-century Thanh Toan Bridge, which straddles a canal amid the lush green Vietnamese countryside, and then walk through a nearby local market.
• Get a sense of Vietnam's history as you walk along the vast grounds of Tu Duc Tomb, which houses, among other things, a temple where the emperor and empress were worshipped, the oldest theatre in Vietnam, and a lake fringed with a reception area.
• All of this harks back to a time of excess practised by the ruler, as his country stepped unaware into an impending storm with the approach of the French at Da Nang in the south.

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Day 06

Scenic Train Journey to Hoi An

• Follow the scenic coastal train route to Hoi An. Breeze through the old town with your tour leader in the afternoon, slack-jawed and eye in the sky, without worrying about having to fling yourself to the sidewalk to dodge a wayward vehicle, because none are allowed entry here.
• There is plenty of time to discover the makings of this 16th-century port town, which ceased to function as one when the river silted up. Yet despite falling out of favour with merchants, Hoi An remains one of Vietnam's most loved destinations, with its weathered yellow buildings that once served as shop houses and have now transitioned comfortably into cafes and coffee shops.
• Submit to the amalgam of European, Chinese and Japanese architecture that defines the buildings and temples here, along with a street grid system that hasn't changed even with the encroachment of modernity. Communal houses, assembly halls and trading centres each wait patiently for their stories to be heard.
• Once you're done with this cultural scene, perhaps head out to the beach for some R&R.

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Day 07

Free Day in Hoi An and An Bang Beach

• You've got a free day at your disposal to wander off on your own through the Old Quarter. Between strolling through the street corners, consider visiting some of the tailoring shops that are a quintessential part of the Old Quarter scenery.
• Get some advice on the cut of a suit or the nuances of different fabrics and have it ready to wear on your back in just a couple of hours.
• Alternatively, swing up onto the saddle and bike your way to An Bang beach, or wind through the rural areas of Hoi An, making way for the occasional buffalo or reaching out to school kids ready to practise their language skills with you.
• Later in the afternoon, float down the Thu Bon River on board a local boat and make the most of a barbecue on its lazy banks.

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Day 08

Fly to Saigon and Street Food by Scooter

• Take a short flight to Saigon early this afternoon to avoid the hectic morning commute.
• Head off for an orientation walk around the vicinity with your tour leader and, if you've got time, flip a coin between a visit to the War Remnants Museum or the Reunification Palace.
• Later in the evening, morph into the skin of a true Vietnamese as you swing through Saigon nightlife on board a scooter and join its inhabitants on a street food tour.

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Day 09

Discover the Cu Chi Tunnels

• Travel approximately 40 km northwest this morning to discover the Cu Chi Tunnels, a living reminder of the country's fractious relationship with France and later, America.
• Lower yourself under the surface and get a first-hand experience of how the Viet Cong personnel flitted in and out of these warren-like passages, building an underground city and devising ingenious ways to paralyse an enemy that was far better equipped.
• Drive back to Saigon and wander around the city centre to get a last sense of the city. As evening closes in, gather with your travel companions for a final dinner together.

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Day 10

Departure from Saigon

• It's time now to bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. Departure transfers are included on the day. Please consult your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check-out time.